Province updates reporting on fatal COVID cases to include cause of death

4.2% of the people who died with COVID over the course of the pandemic died from causes unrelated to the virus

A re-examination of fatal cases of COVID in Ontario has prompted some changes in reporting from the province and updates to the total number of people who have died after contracting COVID-19.

According to data released by the province this week, about eight per cent of the deaths reported during the fifth wave of the pandemic (from Dec. 15 to now) were unrelated to COVID, which is "significantly higher than in previous waves."

In 60 per cent of the deaths during the fifth wave, COVID-19 was the underlying cause, in 20 per cent of the deaths, COVID-19 contributed to the death, and the cause of death is unknown or missing for a little more than 10 per cent of the deaths.

Overall, as of March 6, 2022, about 84 per cent of the deaths reported were either caused by COVID or COVID contributed to the death, and 4.2 per cent of people who died with COVID over the course of the pandemic, died from an unrelated reason.

The province is now only going to report deaths where COVID was the underlying cause, contributed to the death, or the cause was unknown or missing, but the person was positive for COVID-19.

Deaths unrelated to COVID will be excluded from provincial reporting.

For the next couple of days, there will be no daily reports on new deaths, the province is only reporting total deaths for the course of the pandemic, which dropped to 12,227 from 12,638. The drop is the result of removing some of the people who died from reasons unrelated to COVID from the cumulative total.

As of today, Public Health Ontario has confirmed 1,121,694 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and reported 1,093,499 recoveries.

There were 2,523 recoveries and 2,130 new cases confirmed through lab testing in today's report. New case counts are underestimated due to limited testing.

The March 11 updates provided by the province's public health agency and the ministry of health also reported the following data:

Hospitalizations

717 people are in hospital testing positive for COVID-19. Of those, 46 per cent of the patients were admitted because of COVID-19 and 54 per cent were admitted for other reasons but test positive for COVID-19.
Of those hospitalized not in the ICU, 154 are unvaccinated, 30 are partially vaccinated, and 378 are fully vaccinated.
238 people are in ICU because of COVID-related critical illness and, of those, 51 no longer test positive for COVID-19.
There are 134 patients on ventilators because of COVID-related critical illness.
Among the ICU patients are 47 unvaccinated people, four partially vaccinated, and 73 fully vaccinated people.

Vaccination

About 86 per cent of the population over four years old in Ontario is fully vaccinated (about 12 million people)
More than seven million people in Ontario have had three doses of a COVID vaccine.
10 per cent of the eligible population (aged 5 and up) is unvaccinated

Testing

Provincial labs processed 14,571 tests for the latest report, resulting in an 11.7 per cent positivity rate.

Northern Ontario

In the north, there are 127 hospitalizations, down from 129 reported yesterday, according to provincial data. There are 22 people in ICU with the virus, which is the same as 21 yesterday, and 10 people on ventilators, up from eight yesterday.

In Northern Ontario, the breakdown of Public Health Ontario data for cases and vaccination is:

Algoma Public Health: The health unit has reported 5,641 cases, 375 known active cases and eight hospitalizations, with four people in ICU. Of the eligible population five years and older, 89 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 85 per cent have both doses. Of the population 18 years and older, 61 per cent have a booster.
North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit: The health unit has reported 4,100 cases, 137 known active cases and seven hospitalizations. Of the eligible population five years and older, 86 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 82 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 59 per cent have a booster.
Porcupine Health Unit: The health unit has reported 5,834 cases, 204 known active cases and nine hospitalizations. Of the eligible population five years and older, 88 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 82 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 53 per cent have a booster.
Public Health Sudbury and Districts: The health unit has reported 12,025 cases, 400 known active cases and 63 hospitalizations, with three people in ICU. It is only updating its numbers Monday, Wednesday and Friday. As of Wednesday, there were 54 hospitalizations. Of the eligible population five years and older, 89 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 85 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 58 per cent have a booster.
Timiskaming Health Unit: The health unit has reported 1,245 cases, 33 known active cases, and one hospitalization. Of the eligible population five years and older, 86 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 82 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 58 per cent have a booster.
Northwestern Health Unit: The health unit has reported 5,434 cases and 259 known active cases. Current hospitalizations are not reported. Of the eligible population five years and older, 97 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 90 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 62 per cent have a booster.
Thunder Bay District Health Unit: The health unit has reported 9,209 cases, 186 known active cases and 35 hospitalizations, including nine people in ICU. The health unit is only updating data Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Of the eligible population five years and older, 89 per cent of people have at least one dose of the vaccine and 85 per cent have both doses. For the eligible population 18 years and older, 60 per cent have a booster.